Category: Spreads

Our TarotBlogHop wrangler, Aisling, asked us, in part, “so we will use our Tarot cards to explore and explain the duality of our own natures. Who, indeed, is your “other Self”, your “Tanist”? How is it that you are, actually, of “two minds”?”

She gave us a very detailed set of steps. I have chosen to go off-book by taking only one part of her instructions for this post.

“These two cards, the light and darkness of your own Being, will work as a unit but represent two opposite views of the same situation. They both may be in the same suit or in two different suits, one may be major and one minor arcana, but if one were to receive both these cards in a reading, how would you represent the opposing energies thereof as they apply to your own personality and all the situations which life hands you?”

When I think about duality of being, my Piscean sun self swims effortlessly into the topic. I think we are all far more than merely two parts of one whole. For me, there are layers to the dark and layers to the light. I cannot, by my very nature, see myself as just dark and light. I am at my heart, a myriad.

That is to say, a multitude, a large/great number, a large/great quantity, scores, quantities, a mass, a host, droves, a horde. In a way, this correlates to my feelings about the Tarot. The seventy-eight cards are also myriad. Within one deck, you have countless ways to combine cards for scores of interpretations. When you expand your mind to encompass the fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of artistic interpretations of each of those seventy-eight cards? Yeah. Mind=blown.

How can I see only two sides of myself? I am not a fan of seeing shadow self as evil or wrong or even as needing to be incorporated into anything. For me, again that Piscean nature leaping in a great splashing arc, I see shadow self as whole and separate. I think I will call it my Submerged self while the other main self is Emerged. Submerged is no less important than emerged. And vice-versa on that. What I allow to be seen may be partially my submerged self. The fact is only I will ever know the true answer to that. Which points to my strong Scorpio moon influence. Secrets are part of my life. I know many secrets that aren’t mine but were given to me in confidence. So I keep them there in confidence.

If I only address Submerged Self and Emerged Self, I wonder what they would say. Could I be a bridge between those two pieces assuming they don’t actually communicate? It’s my belief that they do communicate–well and often. The society we live in has a norm of not addressing Submerged Self except as an enemy. What intelligent being would allow itself to be seen if it is only ever thought of as wrong?

To that end, I wanted to create a vehicle for communication between Submerged and Emerged Selves. Of course, that vehicle would be a Tarot spread. I thought I might use the Sun and the Moon for the Emerged and Submerged Selves but it didn’t work for me. Instead I have a list of questions. Then I follow that with my reading for myself using this spread.

Submerged-Emerged Selves Spread

What is the main message from Submerged Self?

How can Emerged Self use this message best?

What does Submerged Self need most from Emerged Self?

What is the main message from Emerged Self?

How can Submerged Self use this message best?

What does Emerged Self need most from Submerged Self?

How can Submerged Self and Emerged Self best work together?

What is the main message from Submerged Self? Main Message (Submerged) is the Teacher. Here is someone sitting with Coyote just behind them. They offer me a dandelion which most of us consider a weed. I must remember that Submerged self offers up seemingly useless parts of myself. But with a bit of exploration, I can learn all the uses of those unwanted-by-society parts.

How can Emerged Self use this message best? Take all the energy of worrying about what other people think and use it to swing my own personal fire. Be my own best self as the Explorer(Knight) of Fire is her best self.

What does Submerged Self need most from Emerged Self? Submerged Self needs Emerged Self to allow both halves to drive the Chariot (Canoe). Only by swimming together can we master our own true purpose.

What is the main message from Emerged Self? The Seven of Earth is the card of the gardener. The one who plants and tends and lets things grow. Here the plants of the Teacher are echoed as she puts saplings into the earth. Both selves are intent on growth and learning about the things we plant.

How can Submerged Self use this message best? Interesting to see the Child (Page) of Fire show up when the Knight of Fire showed up for the reverse question. Here I am told that Submerged Self could be more proactive, more curious about how things are. This is a card of energy and movement. Both sides have plants and energy.

What does Emerged Self need most from Submerged Self? Death floats in reminding me that to master myself (as with the Canoe), some parts of me must be laid to rest. Any parts that aren’t nourishing me. If I don’t flourish from the energy, then it must be let go. Death is change that is inevitable, inescapable, and unavoidable.

The final question is How can Submerged Self and Emerged Self best work together? The Elder (King) of Air with his Luna moth companion made me smile when they showed up. I see him as the Priest who does the work. He is sending his prayers (and those of others) up to the heavens. The Luna moth serves as the steed to carry those hopes. When I stand in myself as priestess, I am myriad.

This reading made sense to me. I realize that I used some shorthand here and there but this was a deeply personal reading.bI offer this spread for you to use. Please do not post it without my attribution: Spread by Arwen Lynch

So this Tarot Blog Hop is a bit different. Our wrangler, the indomitable Alison Cross of the Game of Thrones blog (it’s about the Court cards, y’all), decided we would each take a Major Arcana and link that way. This means you will be hopping through the twenty-two Major Arcana cards today. There will be doubles on some as we have more than twenty-two bloggers. P.S. Your weekly Tarotscopes are at the bottom.

I chose the Chariot for my card. It’s got a lot of OOMPH in my life right now. You know, the sound you make when something wallops you in the gut when you weren’t looking? Yeah, that. OOMPH.

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I have some favorite images of the Chariot. The first one that comes to mind is the four horses pulling the chariot in the Tarot of the Old Path. The horses are the elements. I’ve always thought it would make a stunning tattoo. Typically you see only two animals or entities in a chariot, but I simply adore the air, water, earth and fire balance of this very Pagan deck. It is one of my oldest reading decks actually. True story. I used to read on a 1-900 line. This is the deck I chose for that. I still have that deck complete with notes on the backs of the cards. I was always worried I might block. That meant I would waste someone’s time. And trust me, on those lines? Time is money. Yikes!

Shadowscapes Tarot

Also note that this card is renamed Mastery which is one of the key words assigned to this card.

In the “gosh that’s gorgeous” category, the Shadowscapes Tarot‘s Chariot just sings. I think this one is luminous in the way the colors flow and twist. The color scheme is so very watery which is in keeping with the elemental association for this card. Because it is the card that represents Cancer, the Chariot is considered a Water card. The elemental associations of each card are important when you are doing things like Elemental Dignities. Here her animals look at one another rather than away. In many traditional renderings, the beasts look to either side. This indicates that the Charioteer may need to focus on driving. I often tell my clients this is their “wake up and drive” call. Someone else may be trying to backseat live for them.

Another favorite is the gun-wielding, motorcycle-riding, fierce-as-hell Charioteer of the Fradella Adventure Tarot. I mean, who isn’t motivated to get moving when this guy shows up? Because I love how he is coming right at you, he really drives home my OOMPH message. Because trust me, this guy doesn’t care if you want to lead or follow. He just wants you OUT OF THE WAY NOW, BABY. He doesn’t have the two animals to contend with but he does have two guns. He must focus on where he is shooting as well as where he is hurtling toward.

Let’s take a look at the energy of the Chariot via a Tarot spread I designed for you. Don’t want to do it on your own? Contact me to set up your half hour reading for a Chariots On Fire session with me.

CHARIOTS ON FIRE

This spread is to determine how we are approaching a situation in life and what to look for.

1. Emotional Driver: The first question is what emotional driver of ours is currently in the driver’s seat. It’s good to note that it is not always the passion or emotional driver we want.

2. Beast 1: One possible direction

3. Beast 2: One possible direction

4. Best Forward Movement: This could be one or the other of the previous two cards. Also stay open to the idea that it can be a blend of the two.

I hope you do try this spread out. I’d love to hear from you as to your results. And tell me what your favorite Chariot card is. I’ll draw a name from all the comments. That person will win a half hour consultation with me doing this spread. All comments must be in by June 26, 2015 midnight PST (2am CST).

And here are your weekly Tarotscopes.

Welcome to this week’s Tarotscopes. My goal is to help you find your joy and hang on to it. You can transform your existence by bringing joy back in on a regular basis. I’m here to be your joy guide.

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Tired of being sad? Done with all the negativity in this world? Let’s work together to bring you back to the joy path. No time like the present to get started on your own joy seeker’s life. I’m ready to help. What’s holding you back?

Happy Solstice, y’all. I’m celebrating with a small gathering that features grilled food and good times. May laughter and joy light your way.

This book is a classic for a reason. I have to keep buying copies because I loan my out! Do you have it?

Linestrider Tarot

Did you know you can hear your full monthly Tarotscope here? Get your month started right with an in-depth joy journey.

CARD OF THE WEEK: [inlinetweet prefix=”CARD OF THE WEEK” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”] We get a big caution sign this week. It’s a warning[/inlinetweet] to watch our spending habits. Budgets are going to be very important. This issue may be around what you need vs what you want. Just keep a weather eye on your bank account this week. FIVE OF PENTACLES

AQUARIUS [inlinetweet prefix=”AQUARIUS” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]Who fills you up? That’s your most [/inlinetweet]important question this week. Are you wasting time cultivating those who drain you? Make it a priority to reach out to those who fill you up. Drink from the right cups. FOUR OF CUPS

Linestrider Tarot

PISCES [inlinetweet prefix=”PISCES” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]What will transform you in a good way even as [/inlinetweet]it brings you pain? Don’t put off the hard choices, darling. Make the calls that must be made. Release the fears of what must happen. Putting it off only prolongs the time you spend in fear. DEATH

ARIES [inlinetweet prefix=”ARIES” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]What calls you higher? How will you answer[/inlinetweet] the imperative to transcend to the next level? This feels like a physical challenge so perhaps it is time to step up that exercise routine. Or maybe you need to challenge your mind by taking on a new learning puzzle. JUDGMENT

TAURUS [inlinetweet prefix=”TAURUS” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]Oh sweet ones, what would you do with an [/inlinetweet]extra six hours a day. Time for you to slow your roll. When is the last time that you just sat in silence? Just relaxed? Make time for that this week before the Universe does it for you. FOUR OF SWORDS

GEMINI [inlinetweet prefix=”GEMINI” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]How do you react when you are attacked? Remember [/inlinetweet]to take the higher ground this week. They can spit and fuss all they like. As long as you remain above it, not reacting to it, you will win. The moment you stoop to their level though? All bets are off. I don’t recommend it. SEVEN OF WANDS

CANCER [inlinetweet prefix=”CANCER” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]Wondering which way to turn? Looks like [/inlinetweet]a good week to make a pros vs cons list. When you try to look in two directions, you can go cross-eyed. Good week to focus your attention on the one thing that needs you most. TWO OF SWORDS

LEO [inlinetweet prefix=”LEO” tweeter=”@Tarotscopes” suffix=”..more #horoscope”]What would you weave if you had all the energy you needed? Good [/inlinetweet]week to start that project. You know…the one that needs time to grow? Get the beginning begun. The final payoff may not be right away but the end result will be so very worth it, my proud felines. SEVEN OF PENTACLES

VIRGO [inlinetweet prefix=”VIRGO” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]What lesson do you need to learn about resources? [/inlinetweet]Sharing. That’s what. Going to be a good week to find out how you fit in a group. One of the best ways will be by sharing what you know and how you use that knowledge. Don’t be a miser with resources please. Stand out by sharing. FOUR OF PENTACLES

LIBRA [inlinetweet prefix=”LIBRA” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]Which dream will you choose? You have a gift [/inlinetweet]this week–a plethora of dreams to act upon. Best if you lock in on one and get that done. Then move on to the next. Dreams are lovely, but realized actions will make you feel more satisfied with life. SEVEN OF CUPS

SCORPIO [inlinetweet prefix=”SCORPIO” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]Who can you call any time day or night? Remember [/inlinetweet]that connection. Send a card. Pick up the phone. Remind that true friend that you honor your connection. If they are close, it’s a good week for a tete-a-tete. Not close? Reach out as best you can. SIX OF CIPS

Linestrider Tarot

SAGITTARIUS [inlinetweet prefix=”SAGITTARIUS” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”…more #horoscope”]What can you share this week? Someone [/inlinetweet]near you needs a helping hand. If that is the person in your mirror, it’s never a mistake to ask for the help you need. Sharing will create connections. Charity will take you out of you and into a larger US. Feels like that connection may be slipping for you a bit. Find a group. Volunteer. SIX OF PENTACLES

CAPRICORN [inlinetweet prefix=”CAPRICORN” tweeter=”@tarotscopes” suffix=”… more #horoscope”]Do you have your running shoes handy? Might want [/inlinetweet]to grab them. AN unexpected travel opportunity might arise. I think you should take it. Expect this week to bring passion, fun and tons of things to do. And? Take your vitamins. 😀 It’s going to be a week of swift action. If you approach it with a light heart, it will be very fun. EIGHT OF WANDS

Remember to seek joy, y’all. Pass it on! I want to hear from you if you are ready to kick the negativity habit in the tender bits. Let’s get started today to create a plan for you that takes you from feeling alone to feeling alive.

Today I wanted to share an affirmation that came to me after answering some questions posed by Nicole Ortega. She is doing the same blog challenge that I am doing.

In her post about Demystifying Your Life Purpose, she posed that there were common questions and more important questions. I commented that the three more important questions would make a good Tarot spread.

So here it is:

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Nicole Ortega’s Demystify Your Life Purpose Spread

What thought patterns are keeping me stuck?

Why do I seem to take two steps forward and one step back?

Where is my energy best focused right now?

How can I put this information to use now?

I added the last question. Using the Dream Raven Tarot deck, I pulled four cards. Here is my reading for myself.

Nicole Ortega Demystifying Your Life Purpose Spread

1. What thought patterns are keeping me stuck?

Six of Swords The idea that I’ve won as much as I can. That the race is over. I see this as a warning against complacency. The Six of Swords is generally a positive card but this question is one of being stuck.

Since an air card shows up as the answer to the thought question, I take this to mean that I shouldn’t ever think the race is over. There is always a new leg to be run.

2. Why do I seem to take two steps forward and one step back?

Hermit I had to laugh when I saw the Hermit. I do tend to hole up then pop out for a bit. I think this card is about consistency. Consistency in studying what I do. Consistency in being available to do what I offer.

That’s a big one. Lately I’ve been finding it hard to make room for my work because of my work. Catch 22!

Two of Pentacles I added this one to give me something practical, something doable, something immediate. And I get the Two of Pentacles which is a card of balance.

I am advised that I need to apply this information to both my personal as well as professional life. That this issue encompasses my all rather than just one side or the other. Since I’m a Pisces, this makes sense to me.

I’d like to give this spread a few test runs before I add it to my repertoire. If you think you’d like to consult with me using this spread, email me. I have five slots available.

This readings will be done via email so they will be $30 instead of my regular $55 for a half hour Tarot chat and will include a suggested affirmation for you based on the cards you receive. Are you ready to demystify your life purpose?

Enjoy both your weekly Tarotscopes as well as your monthly Tarotscope podcast in this post.

Welcome to your August 2014 Tarotscopes, y’all. See the weekly Tarotscopes below as well.

This month’s card is the Emperor again. His message is a bit different for us though.
We had a nice mix of cards with no one suit being more prevalent than the other.

And? There’s a contest. It’s an easy one. Just share this podcast. Then leave a comment with a link to your share. Do this by August 15th.

The winner will win their choice of a half hour reading with me or my Finish Your Book e-course. If we have more than fifty shares, I’ll pull two winners. At
one hundred shares, I’ll pull three. So let’s see how we do!

The Union of Opposites as represented by the Lovers is our Tarot Blog Hop topic. You can thank Aisling for this one. She’s our mastermind this go round. If you are a fan of the Tarot Blog Hop, you can keep up with us by clicking here and liking the Facebook fan page. This will be a place where you can chat about posts you’ve seen on the blog and get updates as to when the next hop is. If you want to participate in the hop, click here to join the actual working group.

In the call to blog, Aisling offered an interpretaion of the Lovers as follows:

“”The Lovers”, philosophically, can represent “the Union of Opposites”. When this card falls in a reading, as many of you probably know, it doesn’t always signify a love relationship, but may indicate a wider scope of combining dissimilar things to produce a positive result. Not all opposites are bad things, and sometimes both entities are necessary to produce a whole; think of male and female, night and day, giving and receiving, listening and speaking, acting and waiting to act, and many other places where the Union of Opposites produces the whole….”

I don’t usually see the Lovers as a relationship with another but with yourself. And think about the dissimilar bits of each of us. How often to you feel pulled this way and that way by nothing more than your own thoughts? How can we begin to understand that person on the other side of the mirror when we can be our very own Beatles song?

So that brings me to a spread I created for this Tarot Blog Hop. I’m calling it the Hello You, Goodbye Me spread. It is a way for us to dive into how we can acknowledge what our own needs are–even when they seem to be in opposition.

Hello You, Goodbye Me Spread

Card One: What makes us want to say goodbye

Card Two: What makes us want to say hello

Card Three: How can we hold space for both needs and honor both sides?

Placement is Goodbye to the left, Hello to the right and Holding Space above both.

Goodbye: Strength shows up to remind me that maybe it’s time to bid farewell to my need to “do it my ownself” all the time.Hello: Two of Foxes (Cups) shows one fox moving towards the other. This is an interesting card since it is the card I see as a relationship card. Here we have saying hello to being part of a couple.Holding space: is the Seven of Foxes which shows a fox sitting at a crossroads.

Obviously this says that for me to hold on to my independence while still building my life as a married woman, I must allow myself to dream. Emotional choices will have to be made, but both roads can remain open to me. Seems that both the path of independence and the one of relationships can be viable choices. Perhaps it is saying that one isn’t to outweigh the other but that I am to learn how to balance them.

I hope you will try this simple spread and let me know your results.

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To that end, I wanted to share a three card spread you can use for yourself. I will also show you how you can craft a spell using the three cards you get.

Tarot readings aren’t magic, but they can create magic. I’ve been doing a lot of three card readings via email lately. Normally I do SKYPE or phone or in person sessions but have been guided towards more email readings.

These are short readings since they are only three cards, but I’m finding that the questions asked are creating magic for my clients.

In these readings, I’m getting asked many things but one question keeps coming up.

How do I get unstuck?

To that end, I wanted to share a three card spread you can use for yourself. I will also show you how you can craft a spell using the three cards you get.

Saturday I shared a spread as part of the 2013 Yule Tarot Blog Hop. I promised to share my reading using that spread so you might see how it can work. I used the Dark Goddess Tarot which I am completely enamored of these days. It’s one of those “wow I didn’t expect that” connections that happen.

Saturday I shared a spread as part of the 2013 Yule Tarot Blog Hop. I promised to share my reading using that spread so you might see how it can work. I used the Dark Goddess Tarot which I am completely enamored of these days. It’s one of those “wow I didn’t expect that” connections that happen.

1. SUN: The Blue Dakini dances her way in. She represents the Three of Air. “If it is not real and true, sever the ties” is her message. Interestingly enough, this showed up for me in an online full moon circle that I did this past week with Ellen Lorenzi-Price (the creatrix of this amazing deck) and Nancy Antenucci. So my work with letting go of that which does not serve is going to grow exponentially. It’s in the Sun spot so there is already growth happening here…already in motion. I just need to keep this going.

2. HOLLY: The Four of Air follows (and yes, I shuffled the deck, sillies. 😀 ) Nut is this card’s Goddess. Nut will always make me think of my friend Ellen Reed. She passed some years back but Nut was a Goddess she loved. “Until dawn, rest as a star in my body” is her message. What a lovely one that is. I think this is saying that my health and healing are doing well and I can take comfort in that. Last year I worked hella hard on the diabetes thing. I will continue to work on it but perhaps it won’t be the all-consuming area it has been.

3. OAK: What area needs to be nurtured and pulled into the light to grow? Here is where you need to get busy. This area could use some elbow grease and a good helping of plant food to grow. Let this carry you into the next few months. So here is Baubo, the Siren of Earth. Baubo is a very earthy Lady. Read Her tale if you don’t know it. Her message is “this is life in the body: raw, ridiculous, sublime”. Taken into context with the positional meaning of the Holly card, I see that I need to get more into my body work. I need to be less mental (Four of Air) and more physical (Queen of Earth). So while my mental focus was good, I can step up the physical part.

I’d love to hear from you if you do this reading. Or if you do any of the readings in the Yule blog hop–there are some amazing choices this time around. I always get some great new spreads.

I think a good reading does that though. It is a two way street where I get information for my client but there’s generally a soft nudge for me as well.

Today’s post is a throwback. I know yesterday was Throwback Thursday but oh well. 😀

https://tarotbyarwen.com/?p=8053 is my Life’s Path spread. I shared it 9/30/2008. I have done this particular reading with many clients since then. It never fails to have a message for me as well as them.

I think a good reading does that though. It is a two way street where I get information for my client but there’s generally a soft nudge for me as well.

I asked Bonnie for some ideas on what to offer in this Meetup class. She was, as always, completely generous with her time and knowledge. I took her ideas and added a few of my own.

I encourage you to work with Bonnie’s book if you are interested in this concept.

For our class we determined our own birthcards (mine are pictured in the tattoo you see on this post–art work and tattoo by Dirk Mellot of Epiphany Tattoo, Aurora, Colorado). Then we did a brief guided meditation followed by activities that included writing an affirmation and doing a reading.

The spread we used was designed by me. I wanted to share it with you as well. Based on Bonnie’s book, I wanted to explore the concept of the theme as represented by the Birth Cards.

HOW CAN I MANIFEST MY LIFE’S THEME

Shuffle entire deck. Draw three cards.

1. How can I manifest the energy of this theme in my life?

2. What stands in my way?

3. What strengthens me on this journey?

We paired off and read for each other. So person A put their birth cards out and person B used their own deck to shuffle and draw and read for person A. It went very well. Our Meetup has folks who’ve read for 30 years and those who haven’t even bought their first Tarot deck. I love this mix of energy.

So for today’s journal prompt, even if you don’t know your own birth cards, let’s use this.

“How can I manifest my life’s theme?”

If you do use this spread, I’d love to know the results. If you want me to do this reading with you (including finding your birth cards and life’s them), book a half hour reading with me. I’d love to have a Tarot conversation with you.

Last week on the 2nd, I shared the Five of Earth from the Dark Goddess Tarot (Ellen Lorenzi-Price). Part of that sharing was two questions.

I drew two cards from a different deck to answer the questions.
Qustion One: “What am I doing to foster my feelings of lack and loss?”

Using the Rainbow Travellers Tarot (Carmen Waterman), the first card I drew is the Ten of Swords. Ouch, RTT. Not going to be gentle with me are you? FINE!

There aren’t many places that I do feel lack and loss but in one area? Oh yeah. And I foster that feeling by playing the poor me routine. I don’t go out when I could. And then when I can’t, I whine about never going out. LOL I set up my own self-fulfilling prophecy you see.

Question Two: “How can I reroute that thinking into positive avenues of change?”

And the really fabulous Seven of Wands shows up. She is dressed to be seen, be noticed, have some “out there” time.

And could these cards be more visually different? One is almost below ground with the tall weeds or grass out the window. The other is way up in the clouds.

So to get out, I need to get out. LOL

I KNEW that! Phhhhbbbt!

Yes, this is a very good example of the Tarot pointing out something I already knew. People who have Tarot conversations with me can corroborate that. I tell you what you already knew–most folks say it is confirming.

I like that. Do you want to have a confirming Tarot conversation with me? Use the Get A reading button to contact me. Let’s set it up.

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